Button fastener



April 21, 1953 F. H. SCHAF'FE R 2, 3

BUTTON FASTENER Filed Oct. 18, 1950 Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to button fasteners and more particularly to asafe pin structure for removably securing buttons and the like towearing apparel.

Many buttons in use on wearing apparel such as ladies coats, dresses andlike garments are ornamental and expensive but are of such material thatthey are frequently damaged or broken when the garment is cleaned orlaundered. Also, some buttons are damaged when heated as when thegarment is ironed or pressed. Such buttons must be removed before thecleaning and replaced after the finishing or pressing operation. Thisincreases the cost of processing the garments and also the buttons arefrequently lost resulting in dfiiculty of replacement and dissatisfiedcustomers.

The objects of the present invent on are to provide a safe pin structureof suitable contour for removably pinning buttons of the shank type orcloth back buttons to wear ng apparel whereby the pin lies flat againstthe under side of the material; to provide a button fastener having abowed p n of suitable contour and adapted to be forced through the clothof the garment and then through the eye of a button shank or cloth backof a button, and finally again through the cloth and having its free endheld in fastened condition to prevent displacement of the button andprotect the wearer from injury from the pin point; to provide a buttonfastener-with a body section and a relatively rotatable pin sectionmounted thereon with suitable stops engaged by the pin sect on to effectresilient engagement of the free end of the pin section with the bodysection when in button fastening position; and to provide a buttonfastener which is economical to manufacture and quickly and easilyapplied to wearing apparel for removably securing buttons theretowithout uns ghtly bulges in the material and in such a manner that thewearer is protected from injury by the pin.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention I haveprovided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a button fastener embodying the featuresof the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a disassembled perspective view of the button fastener.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the button fastener.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the button fastener being applied to abutton for securing same to a piece of cloth.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of a button and fastener applied to a piece ofcloth, the fastener lying substantially flat against the under side ofthe cloth.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form wherein the body portionis formed of sheet material.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a further modified form in opencondition.

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the form shown in Fig. '7.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a button fastener having a body section 2 and a p n section3 rotatably connected by a hinge member 4. The body section preferablyconsists of a length of spring wire 5, arcuate in shape and having aneye 6 formed at one end thereof. A keeper 1, preferably formed of sheetmetal, is secured to the other end of the wire 5 and curved toward theeye 6 and terminating in an inwardly opening channel portion 8 forreceiving the point 9 of the pin section 3, as later described. The pinsection consists of a length of spring wire it, having one pointed end 9and an eye I I on the other end, the eye H corresponding in size to theeye 6 on the body section of the fastener. The pin section is preferablyarcuate in shape and the mid portion has a U-shaped loop l2 arranged atright angles or substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by thearcuate portion of the pin section. This arrangement provides a curvedportion on a curved pin which curve on a curve facilitates theapplication of the pin in securing a shank type button to cloth. Thehinge member 4 mounts the eyes 6 and l for limited relative rotationwhereby when the pointed end of the pin section is swung toward thekeeper 1 the relative rotation of the respective eyes is stopped whilethe pointed end 9 is spaced from the keeper 1 and further movement ofthe pin section to effect engagement of the pointed end in the keeper isby bending of the pin section and the resiliency in the spring wiretends to hold the pointed end engaged in the channel portion 8 of thekeeper 1.

The particular hinge member 4 preferably is formed of sheet metal andconsists of disk-like portions 13 and It, each of which has inwardlypressed trunnions l5 of suitable diameter to closely engage the openingin the eye portions ii and i l for rotatably mounting said eye portionson said trunnions. erably has substantially the same length as thethickness of the wire forming the eyes 6 and II, whereby said eyes lieone on the other between Each of the trunnions pref- 3 the disk portionsI3 and M. The disk portions are connected by an arcuate wall 88 arrangedbetween the body section 2 and pin section 3, as illustrated in Fig. 3.A flange or lug H is provided on one of the disk portions and spacedfrom the end 18 of the wall it whereby the wire 5 extends therebetweenand is substantially engaged thereby. The lug l! is spaced from theopposite end is of the wall as whereby the pin section 3 may be rotatedrelative to the body section as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig.3,

to provide a wide opening of the fastener. How-- ever, the end [9 of thewall It is so positioned that when the pin section is moved toward theclosed position the wire It will engage the end I9 while the pointed end9 is still spaced from the keeper 7, requiring the wire to be bent inorder to engage the pointed end 9 in the channel portion 8 of the keeperand the bending of the wire will create sufi'icient force between thepointed end 9 and the keeper to retain same in engaged position.

To attach a shank type button 29 to the cloth 2! of a garment, the shank22 of the button is held in engagement with the cloth whereby the clothsubstantially engages around the shank 22. The fastener is then openedand the pointed; end inserted through the cloth and through the aperture23 of the shank and then back through the cloth, as illustrated in Fig.4. The ar uate shape or curve on a curve of the pin section 3 permitsthe pin section to be easily moved through the cloth and; shank aperturewith a screw or twisting movement until the U-shaped loop 12 is locatedin the aperture of the shank. The pin section is then hinged relative tothe body section to move the wire It into engagement with the end IQ ofthe wall, It and said section is further moved bending the wire l8 untilthe pointed end a is engaged in the channel portion s of the keeper 1.

'The loop !2 is rotatable in the aperture 23 of the shank 22 whereby theentire button fastener I is moved to lie flat against the under side ofthe cloth 2| as illustrated in Fig. 5, eliminating any unsightly bulgein the cloth.

To remove the button, the button fastener is swung away from the clothand pressure applied to the body and pin sections, bending samesufficiently to disengage the pointed end fl from the keeper '4' foropening the fastener. When the fastener is opened the pin section may beeasily withdrawn from the button shank and cloth.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the button fastenerconsists of a body member 25 formed of sheet metal or the like, havingflanges on opposite sides turned upwardly and inwardly to form keepers21 and 28 adapted to be engaged by end portions 29 and 39 of a springwire 31. The intermediate portion of the wire is formed in a coil 32adapted to be rotatably mounted on a trunnion which extends upwardlyfrom the body member 2:6 adjacent one end thereof, said trunnion beingprovided with a flange or the like 34 for retaining the coil on thetrunnion. The keeper 2? has greater spacing from the trunnion 33 thanthe keeper 28 and the portion of the wire 3! intermediate the trunnion33 and the keeper 2? is arcuate or curved and provided with an upwardlyextending U-shaped loop portion 35 to form the curve on a curve of thepin section, the end 29 of said wire portion being pointed as at 36 tofacilitate insertion of the wire into a garment and through an apertureof a button or the like.

In using a button fastener such as disclosed in Fig. 6, the portion 29of the wire is pressed toward the side of the body member having thekeeper 28 thereon to release the wire portion 29 from the keeper 21. Theentire wire member is then rotatable about the trunnion 33 to open thepin fastener as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, the end 39 ofthe wire preferably being shorter than the distance between the trunnionand. the keeper 2'! whereby the end 39 may be swung past said keeper.The pointed end of the wire is inserted through cloth of a garment andaperture in the shank of a button in the same manner as describedrelative to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1. The wire is thenrotated to effect engagement of the end 30 with the keeper 28 and thenthe end 2?; is pressed toward the endtt to effect engagement of thepointed end of the wire with the keeper 2i. The normal spacing betweenthe ends 29 and 3!) of the wire is greater than the spacing between thekeepers 21 and 28 whereby the resiliency of the wire will retain theends thereof in engagement with the keepers when the button fastener isin closed po sition.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 the button.fastener consists of a body member 3"! formed of sheet metal or. thelike preferably having a central portion 28 terminating in angularlyarranged legs 39 and 58. A flange t! extends from the outer side edge ofthe leg 38 and is bent upwardly and over said leg in spaced relationthereto. The leg and flange are each provided with depressed portions 12which form trunnions extending into an eye =33 of a wire member atwhereby said. wire member pivots about the trunnions. The wire issuitably curved whereby when the button fastener is in closed positionsaid wire will overlie the body member 31, said wire terminating in apointed end 55 which in closed position is adjacent the end of the leg48. A flange extends upwardly from the outer side of the leg as and isbent inwardly to extend through a garment and aperture of a button orthe like.

In using a button fastener such as disclosed in Figs. '7 and 8, the wireportion is rotated on the trunnions and moved through the narrow spacingbetween the flange and embossed portion 41, which serve as a keeper,said wire then being swung to positions substantially as shown in Fig.'7. The pointed end of the wire is then inserted. through cloth of agarment and aperture in the shank of a button in the same manner asdescribed relative to the form of the invention shown in Fig. l. Thewire is then rotated to effect engagement of the end 55 with the keeperformed by the fiange it and embossed portion i? to effect closing of thebutton fastener. In this position due to the upwardly extending U-shapedloop portion 53 in the wire extending through the cloth and buttonaperture, the body portion of the fastener will lie closely against theunder neath side of. the cloth and in relatively flat condition.

It is believed that I have provided a button fastener that is economicalto manufacture and easily applied to secure a button on a garment andmoved whereby the fastener will lie flat against the under side of thegarment to eliminate any bulges therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pin for attaching a button having a shank with a transverseaperture to the cloth of a garment comprising, a body member, a flangeadjacent one end of the body member and cooperating therewith to form akeeper, an arcuateshaped wire having an eye on one end, saidarouate-shaped wire defining a plane parallel to the body member, meansadjacent the end of the body member opposite to the keeper rotatablymounting the eye of the Wire on said body member for swinging movementabout an axis perpendicular to the plane of the arcuate-shaped wire, apointed end on the other end of the wire, a U-shaped loop in thearcuate-shaped wire intermediate its ends and directed away from thebody member substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by thecurvature of said arcuate shaped wire, said pointed wire being adaptedfor insertion through cloth, through a transverse aperture of a buttonshank and then through the cloth until the U-shaped loop engages withinthe aperture of the button, and the wire and body member lie flatagainst the under side of the cloth, and means on the body memberadjacent the keeper flange whereby the pointed end of said wire isreleasably and resiliently engaged therebetween.

2. A pin for attaching a button having a transversely apertured shank tothe cloth of a garment, said pin including a body member, a flangeadjacent one end of the body member and cooperating therewith to form akeeper, a bar having a portion diverging from the other end of the bodymember and a portion curving toward the keeper and having a pointed end,said bar being movable toward the keeper for engaging the pointed endwith the keeper, said portions of the bar being substantially in a planewith the body member and interconnected by an open side loop portionprojecting laterally from said plane with the curved portion joiningwith the loop in a connecting curve, thereby forming continuousconsecutive curves from the point to the mid portion of the loop wherebythe point will enter the cloth at one side of the shank and pass throughsaid aperture and the cloth at the other side of the shank with the pinat right angles to the cloth and turned to be flat against the cloth asthe consecutive curves pass through said aperture to bring the loopportion into engagement with the aperture, and means on the body membercooperating with the keeper flange for accommodating the pointed end inreleasable and resilient engagement therebetween.

3. A pin for attaching a button having a shank with a transverseaperture to the cloth of a garment comprising, a body member having akeeper flange adjacent one end thereof, a length of wire having a pointat one end for insertion through the cloth and through the aperture ofthe button shank and back through the cloth, a U-shaped loop in the wireintermediate its ends with the ends of the U-shaped loop curved andmerging into the adjacent portions of the wire, said U- shaped loopbeing directed away from the body member substantially perpendicularlyto :a plane defined by the wire and body member, said wire curving fromthe U-shaped loop toward the keeper flange to provide consecutive curvesin the wire for insertion thereof with a turning and forward movement inthe cloth and button shank aperture and back through the cloth wherebywhen the U-shaped loop is engaged with the shank the Wire and bodymember lie flat against the cloth, means hingedly connecting the otherends of the wire and body member for movement in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the U-shaped loop, and means on the body memberadjacent the keeper flange whereby said pointed end of the wire isreleasably and resiliently engaged therebetween.

FRANCES H. SCHAFFER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 342,182 Chew May 18, 1886 893,237 Gifiord July 14, 1908915,901 Swartz Mar. 23, 1909 2,499,086 Birnkrant et a1. Feb. 28, 1950

